Is dungeons and dragons now cool?
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Anonymous
Why did you ask if it was cool then if you’re already convinced it is? Get a grip. Not everyone agrees. |
Anonymous
I'm not OP. I just came across the conversation. It's fine. You don't have to agree it's cool, and it doesn't really matter in the great scheme of things. Opinions are opinions, and they always vary, and that is truly fine. However, the truth of the matter is that it is also being openly played and discussed by, and promoted, by famous actors and comedians, by Super Bowl winning NFL players, and having live versions selling out Wembley Arena and Madison Square Garden, and serving as the backdrop to a popular series, and being covered in magazines like Rolling Stone, and all of that -- which may not make it cool, but is probably why there is more widespread interest. If your framing for it is limited to "smelly people" who are simply nerds, you're probably due for an update. That's all. |
Anonymous
| It’s cool for the quirky kids and not a thing for the popular crowd. |
Anonymous
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My 16 yr old younger son has been into D&D since 2020 when he was 11. Library started a virtual D&D club with COVID - he loved it and has been playing since. Most of his friend group plays D&D. His friend group is very diverse. Three are really into theater & music & the arts, 2 are total STEM / robotics kids, 2 are really into sports and are on several HS teams. His HS has a D&D club with multiple campaigns going on. I think it has like 30 students.
But if you ask my 19 yr old college freshman, he will say only the weird kids are into D&D. And to be honest, my younger son is a bit “weird” / neuro-spicy. It’s ok to be different and like different things. D&D encourages creativity, imagination, and helps them think critically and gain strategic thinking skills. There’s far worse things for teens to be into. |
Anonymous
Maybe. I’m coming back here after a few days and reading all of the comments. People keep mentioning ADHD but it’s not just that. My 15 and 18 yo are very different kids and both have ADHD. They do not play this, have never mentioned it and I haven’t heard of it being played by kids at my school where I teach. It sounds like it is popular in some schools and anytime a group of kids find others with common interests, it’s a good thing. |
Anonymous
| I don’t know about “cool” but it is pretty popular. My kids play and they don’t have adhd and aren’t on the spectrum. They are bright kids though. It does require a lot of creativity and cognitive thought to play- so make of that what you will |
Anonymous
I wasn’t the one who wrote the smelly people comment. |
Anonymous
Way to get a dig in for kids who have plenty of cognitive skill and just aren’t interested. |
Anonymous
Sure, but that was what the original response was to. I didn't assume you did. You did assume I was the OP, though. I'm not. I was there when the whole thing started. My brother played. I currently hang out with some people who do improv comedy, but that's not my thing. I do know D&D is seen as improv storytelling in that group. I don't play D&D either. However, I'm aware that the cultural framing is different for it right now than in the 1980s. That being said, people get to be who they are, and believe what they believe, and you don't owe me (or D&D players) anything at all. That's all fine. |
Anonymous
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Today’s D&D is not the 1983 AD&D that was around back then and shown in stranger things.
While still the same core concept the use of miniatures and terrains and the stuff you see selling out arenas are tens of thousands of dollars in making it engaging for audiences and viewers. Miniatures were always part of the game, and now elaborate sets and terrains are due to 3d printing. Like anything, if you can afford it you do it. But its rise to mainstream I think is curiosity. My kids watched stranger things and were fascinated by the idea of a mall to hang out at, or going to an arcade to play video games worse than what they have on their phones. D&D at its core will be a fit for those with an imagination; those without will never take to it or be interested in it. |